Nick Kyrgios suffered from depression and had suicidal thoughts

Professional tennis player Nick Kyrgios has revealed he had ‘suicidal thoughts’, struggled with depression and drug and alcohol abuse in the past, adding his name to the list of big-name athletes who have spoken publicly and candidly about their mental health.

The 26-year-old Australian, who has already reached 13^and world rank in singles, posted a message on his Instagram account, the authenticity of which has been verified. He says there that he is now proud to say that he has taken matters into his own hands and that he has a completely different view on everything.

Kyrgios accompanied his post with a photo of him sitting on the edge of a tennis court, taken at the Australian Open three years ago, he said.

He called the period “one of the darkest” of his life and noted that there are signs of “self-harm” visible on his right arm in the photo in question.

“I had suicidal thoughts and literally had trouble getting out of bed. Not even talking about the stress of playing in front of millions of people, Kyrgios wrote.

“I was lonely, depressed and negative, used a lot of alcohol and drugs and pushed away my family and friends. I felt like I had no one to talk to or trust. »

Currently ranked 137^and in the world, Kyrgios is one of the most entertaining, enigmatic and polarizing athletes in his sport. He is both extremely talented and unconventional on the court, in addition to never having been shy about expressing his opinions off the court.

It was his most candid public outing about his mental health, substance use issues and new outlook.

He also offered to help others.

“I know that everyday life can seem very exhausting, even impossible to bear at times. I know you might feel weak to open up to others, or even scared. But I’m telling you: it’s okay, you’re not alone.

“I was in this situation where I felt like I would never find any positive feelings or energy again. Please never think that you are alone, and if you have no one to confide in, contact me, I am here. »

Kyrgios concluded his message by writing: “This life is magnificent”.

A unique style of play

In January in Melbourne, Kyrgios and longtime friend Thanasi Kokkinakis became the first Australian duo since 1997 to win the men’s doubles title at the Australian Open.

In singles, Kyrgios lost in the second round to Russian Daniil Medvedev, who eventually reached the final.

Kyrgios is known for his hard-hitting serves and for trying to catch opponents off guard with underhand serves. He is as likely to attempt a shot between the legs as he is to land a forehand at 160 km/h.

He enjoys playing in front of and interacting with a crowd, even going so far as to chat with spectators between points to ask them where he should hit the ball. He has also been accused of not always giving his best.

However, when playing at his highest level, Kyrgios can beat anyone. He is one of only two players – along with Lleyton Hewitt, another Australian – to have won his first career clashes against Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

During his first participation in the Wimbledon International, in 2014, he reached the quarter-finals, thanks in particular to a victory against Nadal.

He also reached the quarter-finals at the Australian Open in 2015, but hasn’t progressed to the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament since then.

Kyrgios has also found himself in trouble a few times.

In 2019, he was placed on probation for a period of six months by the ATP after being fined US$113,000 for eight infractions at the Cincinnati tournament.

He notably insulted a chief referee and left the field by smashing two rackets.

Earlier in the same season, he was disqualified from a match at the Rome tournament for throwing a chair.

In 2016, he was suspended by the ATP for ceasing to attempt to win and for insulting spectators at the Shanghai Masters.